Uncovered
by Andysaurus
Summary: Sullivan hacks into the files. The FBI details (chapter 9) are based on news reports of the time. Sullivan's fate, based on a reported sequal to The Departed and a certain comical real life documentary, seemed rather appropreate.
1. Unmasked

Staff Sergeant Sullivan was getting desperate. Costello was breathing down his neck and demanding his money's worth, with barely veiled threats, for all the help and cash that he had received over the past five years since applying to the Massachusetts State Police Academy. Yet he was still no nearer to finding the informant. Maybe the informant was not in the Personnel Database, at least not under the gang names that he had been given. It was possible that an alias was being used as a security aid. Or maybe there was a problem with the names. There were just too many possibilities to consider.

Getting Surveillance to tail Captain Queenan was a desperate step. If Queenan found out it could lead to trouble, particularly from Dignum who Sullivan suspected was looking for trouble. But what were his options ?

Think. Could he pressure Captain Ellerby to back him ? Maybe, but he would need to count on Ellerby's favour if anything screwed up. Was he going about this the wrong way ? Maybe he could still make use of Costello's information and look from the other end, the criminal records. Difficult to get hold of discreetly, as he was not supposed to be investigating them, but it was possible with a little inventiveness.

That lunch time, as soon as Sullivan saw Billy's record it was staring him in the face. A former police cadet ! Obviously Costello had checked up on this, but, with some inventiveness and a good enough offer, unless .. how much of this might be a con ? Sullivan looked through the details again and spotted something he had overlooked, Billy's exact full name. There was something wrong. Back in his office after rechecking the contents of Costello's letter, Sullivan realised his "error", Costegan Jnr, not Costegan. Along with some discrete typing of various rank options into the computer and a minute later the password demand came up. Bingo. He switched his phone's sim card and texted Costello with "Costegan is an undercover cop".


	2. The Warning

Late that afternoon Billy was just completing his shopping. Now, with things being so bad, he spent more time than any of the others being alone, which meant being a bit creative with excuses. Then the phone rang, it was the oldest member of the gang, the only one that Billy actually didn't mind talking to.

"Billy, listen, I don't have much time. Costello is going to kill you".  
"What ?" Billy suspected the worst.  
"He came in shouting that you were the rat. No-one could believe it. I asked him why he though that. You know how crazy he is now. He slipped up, said that his friend in the cops had been in Queenan's files. Billy, run".  
"Look, this is just crazy, anyway, why should I believe this ?" Billy needed to know if it was just another of Costello's traps.  
"Look, I don't want to see you killed. You are the only one who is nice to me and I know what it's like to be an informer. Now run". The phone went dead.

Billy knew that he had no choice, even if it was just a test. Still, anyone getting that sort of warning would be sensible to run first and ask questions later. Billy raced home, but went in by the back way; over the fence, and with difficulty due to the shopping, went up an improvised ladder provided by a drain pipe. Once inside he grabbed his travel bag, some underwear, toiletries, maps, milk, chocolate and biscuits. Just stopping long enough to turn of the power and water, Billy exited the way he had come. He would have to dump the car somewhere safe, he needed it now but it could be traced. His main need was to contact Queenan, but how ?

Once in a quiet location Billy attempted to phone Queenan, but got no reply. Normally contact sessions were arranged for the mornings. During the afternoons and evenings Billy was with the gang, so Queenan must have turned the phone off. Actually, Queenan was recharging it and had left it on his desk, exposing an operational problem. Finally Billy left a text message "The M has exposed me, am hiding from C and maybe Feds. Need instructions". Anyway, Billy was to frightened of Dignum to just walk straight into the SIU without permission.

Hiding the car, Billy went to a corner shop, bought some stationary and wrote a covering letter to Queenan. Being paranoid, Billy also bought a stamp but he hoped that it would not be needed. He then spent some time acquiring additional maps since he might have to have to hide outside the Boston city limits. By the time Billy reached Queenan's home district it was, as he had intended, quite dark. Still no response to the phone. Taking the reasonable precaution of looking about for possible watchers, Billy moved closer and spied a car parked on the road junction, almost out of view. Everything about it's location and position said "Odd". When he backtracked and sneaked round and behind the car, Billy could see that there were two people in the car and it was obvious they were watching Queenan's house. Friend or Foe ? No way to tell. Was there something else going on ? Billy went to the nearest convenient street light and amended his letter to Queenan. Then he went to find a mail box. Finally he tried to contact Queenan again, but was reduced to sending another text "Your house is being watched reg. BOS G90-23579"


	3. Revelations and Recriminations

The next morning, when he got into work, Queenan got around to checking the contact phone, and was mortified by the two text messages from Billy. Queenan realised that their undercover procedures were flawed. He immediately phoned Dignum and updated him with his FBI investigation. After Dignum's outraged response and some consideration, Dignum departed to check on their network of informants - what was Costello's beef with Billy. Queenan would check up on the car registration and talk to some contacts in the FBI.

Quennan was outraged when an hour later, he was told that the car was an SIU car used by Surveillance. Queenan wnat down to Surveillance, and upon hearing their explanation, verbally boxed the ears of the staff sergeant in charge and openly accused him and Sullivan of working for Costello. The truth didn't matter, the damage was done and needed to be broadcasted; (unspecified) undercover operations had been compromised by SIU incompetence. Queenan now felt that they had not been taking Costello's infiltration of the SIU seriously enough. Captain Ellerby was in a meeting, that didn't stop Queenan barging in and dramatically demanding Sullivan's head. Queenan then left to inform Dignum. Sullivan could recognise an act when he saw it, so long as he stayed cool he was safe.

Sullivan would have been more worried if he had been a fly on the wall later when Ellerby went to Queenan's office and was promptly shown the two text messages and the FBI corruption evidence that Queenan had. Queenan had decided that pending the outcome of Dignum's work, he would reinstate Billy, but in a way that would not stop the Feds from going after Billy. Queenan would continue to hide Billy's real cop identity, except from Ellerby. Sullivan would have been really worried if he had been there when Dignum met with Queenan the next day. Dignum, after saying that there were reports of a price on Billy's head, said that he had seen Sullivan texting during the joint FBI SIU processor operation. Sullivan was now suspect number one, therefore Ellerby was compromised, for now.


	4. Problems

Queenan had been worried about Billy not contacting him. The reason was that Billy had his own problems. Billy had left his car hidden on the edge of town and gone to a diner. After a shaving off his beard and musstash so that he looked like a kid again, Billy started looking for work. He had limited cash in hand, and only a small bank account as Costello did not pay well. Also most small places did not take plastic, or even cheques. The only ready work was night work and there were two problems; he was now out of cell phone range and the phone needed charging. The charger was at home, and Billy now discovered that it was an unusual connection type. Damn companies not co-operating. The next day he had to go back to the car, drive into town and hike across town to retrieve the charger. His apartment had been broken into. It was clear that nothing had been stolen which meant they were working for Costello. Fortunately the charger was there. Billy shut the broken door, weighted it shut and then left by the back way. As soon as he could Billy phoned the police using an alias and reported a break-in. He also mentioned that it must be connected with drug dealing. That would ensure that it would eventually come to Queenan's attention.


	5. Connection Made

At the start of the week there was an SIU meeting to discuss important drugs related events. The break-in at Billy's house was mentioned and the wrong conclusions drawn by most there, except by those it was intended to alert. Queenan was most interested to hear that the FBI now wanted the police to help apprehend Billy. Then the contact phone rang. Queenan grabbed the phone, confirmed that Billy was all right, and then rushed out of the room to find somewhere more private. Both Dignum and Ellerby had seen the phone so they knew who was calling.

Once in an unoccupied room Queenan asked anxiously "Why didn't you call me before now, where are you ?".  
"I had to go back to my place for the phone charger, then I found myself out of range. Money is the other issue, I had to find night work out of town so I could eat. What's with the surveillance ?".  
"Someone, we guess Costello, set-up false rumours; I'm under suspicion. At least, because of it, we have a possible mole suspect".  
Billy was shocked by the clear SIU screwup, it stank of Costello "Who ?"  
"Staff Sergeant Sullivan. He's in charge of finding the mole. If Dignum is right about him, he is clever, dangerous, and has influence as he's backed by Ellerby".  
Billy thought Oh God, and just what exactly does Dignum know, "Who ?"  
"Captain Ellerby ... Look, you are in danger. Costello has put out a hit on you, and got onto the FBI, but I don't think that the FBI's use of Costello is condoned by their upper management, at least as far as screwing us. But I dare not ask my contacts any direct questions. You need to come in, soon."  
"And just how safe is that ?" mussed Billy, thinking that it was probably more convoluted, and dangerous, than a bag of rattlesnakes.  
"Exactly. Where are you ?"  
"Just within cell range on the edge of town, but I'm not sure that I want to say where under the circumstances. Call me paranoid, but could Costello have the phones tapped ?"  
That idea shook Queenan, "Unlikely, unless the mole ever got access to the sim card ... still, you're right to be worried. We need to be careful. It should be safe for me or Dignum to come and get you but there is too much going on here, and we might be missed. There's no telling what The Mole might get up to and I wouldn't trust anyone else to pick you up. How long would you need to get here ?"  
"I need to hide the car outside town, maybe two hours, no make it three. I need to try and find some different gear".  
Queenan had to wonder if Billy was cutting it rather fine "OK. Go by an alias, say John Smith, and contact me before and from the downstairs desk when you come in. But hopefully I, or someone else, can meet you and get you through under that alias. I'm going to massage your criminal files to make out that you are to be reinstated as a reward for your help. That should act as a red rag to a bull to the FBI. For now we hide the truth, except maybe from Ellerby once you are safe".  
"I've shaved, to make me harder to identify."  
Queenan had to think before replying, "It won't work for anyone using your criminal file or cadet photo's, so be careful".  
"Are there any unguarded ways in, say by using a fire door ?"  
"No, all other exits are either to the car park which is guarded or through the basement vehicle exits which are no better". Queenan signed off.

Billy got to work concealing the car at the disused factory unit he was in, and then headed into town.

Queenan went back to the meeting. Two hours should be enough time to complete the meeting and get Billy's record massaged. Once at the meeting Queenan bluntly refused to say what the interruption was about, because of the mole. However, Queenan told Ellerby that he needed to see him later in the day regarding the call. The rest of the meeting was no more eventful than usual.

Sullivan, however, was wondering what Queenan might be up to. Was it a call from Costegan ? But it could be from other informants who might use that odd phone. As far as Sullivan knew from information that had reached the SIU, Costello wanted Costegan's head for some reason, ha ha. However, Sullivan had already stuck his neck out far enough. Best if he act as if Costegan was just some other crook until Queenan said otherwise. In fact, as officially he didn't really know what Costegan looked like, it would be best to just ignore Costegan if they crossed paths.


	6. Transformation

Billy was looking for a change of clothing since he had worn his current gear far too long. Because of that, despite his shave Billy risked recognition if any of the gang members saw him, and who knows what the Feds and the mole knew. Cash was a problem, so he would probably have to try second hand stuff.

Billy noticed a nice black leather jacket. Not the biker sort, just with a simple front zip. It was the type of thing that a respectable middle class man might wear to keep off the rain. Billy hadn't worn leather before but it looked ok. Even better, the price was right because it was not real leather but faux leather, a plastic treated mesh. And there were faux pants, vest, and even a matching trilby hat to be had. Billy wasn't sure about the feel of the pants, but it all looked really good, and the hat would do a good job of hiding his head when tilted to block the view of any CCTV camera.

Billy argued down the price and when once out of the shop and certain that he was not being followed he went into another shop where he found a back room that he could use. Billy changed and stuffed all of his old outer clothing into his travel bag which he then put inside the large plastic grocery bag that had contained the "suit". Then he headed for the SIU by the most discreet and CCTV free route that he could think of.


	7. Reinstatement, well, sort of

The walk and train ride to the SIU proved uneventful. Once in the SIU, Billy got the reception to phone Queenan. Queenan told the reception to provide Billy with a visitors long term photo-id and send him straight up. Instinctively Billy started to look for trouble, which is why he decided to use the stairs. Even so, once he reached the top floor he virtually bumped into Brown. His hat proved a good choice, rather than drawing suspicion as a hood would have done, even indoors a hat was accepted by most people. Even so, Billy guessed that Brown was thinking the matter over. Unfortunately Billy could walk no faster without raising suspicion.

Billy managed to reach Queenan's secretary without misshap and headed past her straight into Queenan's office, saying "Brown may have recognised me". Billy checked behind, yes there was Brown "He has".

Queenan turned in annoyance to face Brown, then waved Brown to come in. Once Brown was inside Queenan said to him with some emphasis "Brown, stand by the door and shut up. Call Ellerby if you must".

Then to Billy Queenan said, "Billy sit down. I've decided to do as we originally agreed; you helped us, until we screwed up and your cover was blown. So besides Witness Protection, I will give you a job in the SIU anyway. Not a job with a badge, more like a low ranking cop on paid suspension, an assistant for me and Sergeant Dignum. You can also help out with training the new intake. Many have never met a real hardened crook before. You can knock some of the idealism out of them".

Oh, Joy thought Billy.

Queenan continued "Witness Protection will take some time to set up, particularly as we don't know how many cops are either informing for Costello or just plain loose mouthed, which is more likely. For now you will have to sleep in the cell block. There's a canteen and we can arrange to get meals brought into the cell block. You can use the executive room at night, I'll get hold of a radio and there's a TV there. Hopefully you can move home in a week or so, maybe with company".

Oh, Joy thought Billy again. Still, he would be safe. He hoped.

Brown was wondering what was going on. He knew that Billy was always on a short fuse, but had never found him to be a bad person, in fact rather the reverse once you got past his hard exterior. In fact Billy had been one of the few decent white cadets. Maybe he should stick close and find out more, although given what was being said around the place about his boss Sullivan that might be a problem. He decided to call Ellerby anyway, for the record.

Ellerby was not amused by Brown's call. He charged round to Queenan's office like a raging bull after a matador. Once inside he then lambasted both Queenan and Billy. Queenan calmly told Brown to leave and then told Ellerby to come over and look at the terminal. Queenan then brought up Billy's real Personnel Record. Ellerby was dumbfounded, gasping "Why" when he saw how Billy had been framed by the SIU. Queenan replied "Because I'm using Billy as bait. Billy pass that grey folder marked FBI". Ellerby left in a shocked state after he saw the contents. After warning Billy that Brown worked for Sullivan, Queenan waved Brown in again and said to him "Once I've issued Billy with his ID and got him on the payroll, show Billy round, make him feel at home".

Oh, Joy thought Brown. Now why did he get the feeling that everyone was hiding something ?


	8. Play School

Billy was helping to train the new police intake. Billy had been introduced by Dignum to the group as a hardened ex villain and in a sarcastic quip, not one who was a petty thief so their stuff would be safe.

Someone in charge of in-house training had had the bright idea of setting up a course on how, supposedly, to do undercover work. After Dignum's slanderous introduction Billy always had to playact being the chief villain. As Billy had had Costello, and also Mr French, as a teacher the sessions were not short on variety and drama, especially when Billy used a boot on certain knuckle heads who thought that acting tough and verbally stupid would let them pass muster. The trainer seconded from the nearby Police Academy had objected to this; Billy "took" him into a private location and told him about the who and why of the boot. The trainer backed down, but wasn't very happy. Then the trainer had objected when Billy "shot" an involved bystander for no reason at all. Billy immediately enlightened him, and the class, on what being Mr French's assistant entailed. Billy was not a popular instructor with the rookies, or anyone else since he tended to represent reality, red in tooth and claw, over theory. On the other hand, he was increasingly respected and feared, and not just by the other rank and file cops.

Billy had also been told to attend some sessions on criminal psychology and mental issues; Queenan had thought it a good idea, something about know thyself. Madolyn had been giving the sessions. Naturally she had seen him and wanted answers. Billy tried to avoid her, but eventually she caught up with him and demanded to know what he was doing there. Billy said that he had never lied to her, but he could not tell her the truth either. For now she should just accept what everyone else did, that he was a police informer who had been flushed out and had done a deal with the police for protection. One day he would tell her the truth. This just served to get Madolyn's interest charged up, she decided to investigate further.

Billy had just given a painful (to the student) demonstration on how not to use a knife on himself when Brown arrived and signalled him, saying "Ellerby says go find either Queenan or Dignum now. There are some FBI officers after you, you know why". So, crunch time.


	9. The Feds are on the take (again)

By the time Billy arrived, it was all over. Captain Ellerby, who had contacted Queenan as soon as the arrival of the Feds was announced, had already shown the Feds Billy's true police record. When Queenan, with Billy in tow, arrived, the annoyed Fed's, annoyed because they realised that they were being used, were shown an incriminating photo that Queenan had obtained. Agent Connolly was duly arrested on a plausible (but true) corruption charge and escorted to the cells while his outraged companions where shown the door by armed police. Connolly's interrogation was not expected to yield anything but denials for now. However, Connolly was now under open investigation. Connolly's apartment could now be searched for incriminating information. Connolly's back accounts would be checked just in case there was any bribery to be found. And the bars of his superior, Supervisor Morris, cage would be rattled.

A release demand from Supervisor Morris was not long in coming. Ellerby invited Morris over to discuss the interrogation findings. This was a bluff, as he had denied that Costello had provided the information in Billy, but it worked and soon Morris was in the cells too. And so the bars of his superiors cage were also rattled, while the tale was leaked to the media. This was a rare case of the SIU's leaky walls and wide mouths being of some use. The Feds would soon be under pressure to put their house in order.

In the weeks that followed, Connolly was found to have purchased properties in Boston well above his means, a large boat, not to mention a small fortune in personal male jewellery. Morris was found to have an apartment full of items that he had not brought, although it was never proved that he had sanctioned Connolly to warn Costello about the joint FBI SIU operation to prevent missile technology being sold to the Chinese. Connolly took the rap for that. Finally it was revealed that Costello was not the only crook with whom Connolly and Morris had a corrupt informant relationship with.


	10. Home to roost

In the mean time Billy was fully reinstated, paid-up, and actively engaged in researching Sullivan, while Dignum was busy trying to spy on Sullivan. It also meant that Billy could move out of the cell block and, after getting back his car, into constantly changing motel accommodation.

However, nemesis was not long in coming. As soon as Billy began investigating Sullivan's case files, he noticed a discrepancy. There were things about Sullivan's first major case that did not add up. Sullivan claimed that some minor hood had disposed of the Providence Mafia hit men, but Billy knew that Costello had removed the Providence hoods who were out to get him. Under interrogation the source of Sullivan's information claimed to have never met Sullivan. Could Costello have been helping Sullivan with more than just cash ? However, there was no proof that Sullivan was financially on the take. When Billy started checking up on Sullivan's rapid promotions the even more rapid promotions of Barragan became apparent. And then Billy learned that Sullivan and Barragan where both colleagues and friends at the Academy.

Soon after, FBI auditors alerted by Queenan reported that Barragan could not account for all of his car payments. Barragan was arrested and under interrogation revealed that he had been helped by Sullivan, although he denied taking bribes. No one believed this. Barragan was suspended, demoted, and was now under the standard surveillance appropriate to defrocked cops who had not been dismissed.

Sullivan had been lying low, which is why Dignum's surveillance had not managed to learn anything, yet. With the discovery that he had helped Barragan, Sullivan began to feel uneasy. He had underestimated Costegan. The gutter rat was a dangerous and persistent opponent. Now that they knew that he had helped Barragan out, how long before Costegan figured out that Costello had been helping him. The rat might guess it already. Of cause, he must. Damn, it was Barragan's rapid promotion that had alerted the rat. But proving it was another matter. But how to escape. Costello would hardly just let him back out, and now that the Feds had owned up to protecting Costello, they might go after Costello. And then Costello would do a deal. Costello had to go.

Then Sullivan was interviewed about the Providence Mafia hit men. Although no charges were made, Sullivan could read Dignum's voice and body language enough to know that Dignum knew something. Costegan had just stood there, yet like a bomb about to go off, and his body language was silent as the grave. It was a warning, and when Sullivan learned from the rumour mill that Costegan knew the truth about the killings, it was time to jump ship, fast.

Soon after Billy found Madolyn at the SIU trying to find him; Billy duly spent an extensive session at the maternity ward when his son was born. Billy wasn't really happy about staying in Sullivan's old apartment, it was too expensive and high class for him, but his family would be safe from Costello.

Billy's knowledge of Costello's behaviour and methods proved very useful. Gradually the net closed. Billy persuaded the older gang member, who had once been an FBI informant, to make a deal. Costello was crippled in a police raid lead by Sergeant Billy Costegan a year later. Too ill to stand a prolonged trial, Costello got off with minor sentencing, but without Mr French to back him and following the seizure of his assets his gang land hold was broken. Costello's archives only came to light after their Statute of Limitations expiry date.

They didn't find Sullivan until ten years later, when Captain Dignum with the help of the NYPD and the FBI collared him in connection with Jordan Belfort's fraudulent wall street share dealing. And even then the charges were minimal, Sullivan was just too adept at spinning excuses.


End file.
